PAUL Gascoigne's comeback from injury took a knock last night when the Everton midfielder hobbled off on his return to action.

Everton netted a late equaliser to hold Sunderland to a 1-1 draw - but they suffered a blow after 20 minutes when Gascoigne, making his comeback after a two-month absence with a knee injury and an infected arm, limped off with a hamstring injury. Sunderland stormed into a fifth minute lead at New Ferens Park when John Oster finished off a well worked move from a short corner taken by Brendan McGill. The visitors overcame the loss of the former England international and Jurgen Macho made a brilliant save from Keith Southern. Macho made another excellent fingertip save from a fierce free kick taken by Joe-Max Moore, but Sunderland failed to heed the warning and Phil Jevons headed firmly past Macho for a deserved equaliser. Sunderland were a big disappointment and the loss of Dichio with a facial injury at the start of the second half left them with a makeshift attack of Oster and Carsten Fredgaard.

Sunderland: Macho, Ramsden, McCartney, Williams, Byrne, Thirlwell, McGill, Lumsdon, Dichio (Fredgaard 45), Butler (Wainwright 78), Oster